Aberavon AM welcomes school performance data

David Rees AM has today welcomed the number of schools in Neath Port Talbot being categorised as needing less support. The positive news was revealed in the Welsh Governments performance of schools in Wales’s data, The National Categorisation System, which shows that schools within Aberavon have improved over the past 12 months.

The system was introduced in 2014 to help identify schools in need of support to improve their performance. Schools are placed into one of four colour-coded support categories (green, yellow, amber and red) to demonstrate the level of support they need. Schools in the green category are deemed to be in need of the least support while schools in the red category are those identified as needing the most support.

Each school’s category is determined by a range of factors including its performance data and capacity to improve in areas such as leadership and teaching & learning. Local authorities and their regional consortia play a central role in the process which triggers a bespoke package of challenge and support in each school.

This year’s results show that there are fewer schools in Neath Port Talbot in need of the highest levels of support when compared to last year. Similarly, there are more schools categorised as needing lower levels of support.

David Rees AM said: “The categorisation stats are not about pitting schools against each other in league tables but about encouraging improvement in our schools. They should be used to help identify areas where improvement is needed to enhance the performance within our local schools.

“The figures show that 18 primary schools and 4 of secondary schools in Aberavon have been awarded green and yellow categories, which shows improvements in both secondary and primary schools from last year. Our schools have often performed well and the latest results show that education remains a priority in Neath port Talbot.”

“I welcome the Welsh Government’s approach and the fact that it is clearly helping schools in my constituency and across the county borough and I look forward to seeing continued improvements in the coming academic years.”